1. Field of the Invention
The disclosures herein generally relate to device drivers and methods of customizing the layout of a user interface. The disclosures herein particularly relate to a device driver for which the layout of a user interface can be customized, and also relate to a layout customizing method of customizing a device-driver user interface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Embedding a device driver into an operating system (hereinafter referred to as an OS) makes it possible for a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) or the like to drive a peripheral device such as a printer or a multifunctional machine. The device driver is software for driving a peripheral device, and serves to assist an OS in controlling the peripheral device.
In general, a device driver is provided with a user interface (hereinafter referred to as a UI) for allowing a user to make and change settings. It is known, however, that user preference for the layout (display layout) of a device driver UI tends to widely vary from user to user depending on user taste.
To satisfy a variety of user needs for the display layout of a device driver UI, software vendors have been designing display layouts according to priorities determined at the vendor's end. As a result, the display layouts of device driver UIs are imposed on users by software vendors, failing to satisfy a variety of user needs.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-75977 discloses a technology for allowing a user to freely customize the display layout of a UI.
However, the mere fact that a user can freely customize the display layout of a device driver UI does not necessarily mean that the customized display layout is user-friendly. The display layout of a device driver UI may be freely customized even with respect to the fine details of each setting item, for example. In such a case, a user with expert knowledge knows what customization is necessary to make the device driver UI easy to use, and can thus properly design a display layout of the device driver UI that is easy for the user to use.
When the display layout of a device driver UI can be freely customized with respect to the fine details of each setting item, a general user often has no idea about what customization is necessary to make the device driver UI easy to use, and cannot properly design a display layout of the device driver UI that is easy for the user to use.